Monthly Archives: April 2020

04/11/2020
As our lives are upended by this pandemic, one thing is clear: our healthcare system is failing to protect us. Coronavirus is laying bare the deep inequities of the current system: working class people around the state struggle to access testing. Black, Indigenous and communities of color face higher rates of death. In recent weeks, millions of people have lost their jobs and insurance, just when many of us will need it most.

We want to do everything we can to be stronger on the other side of this crisis than when we went into it. As we put together the next steps for the Campaign for New York Health, we need to hear and share our stories about what we are facing in order to make change. That’s why we hope you will take a few minutes to fill out this survey to share your coronavirus experience.

How are you doing? What has this time been like for you? What are your healthcare struggles? Have you been sick? Have you struggled to get testing or treatment?

We must continue to build a movement strong enough to pass the New York Health Act, even as it becomes more challenging. We can only fight back against this virus with a fully insured society. We need a healthcare system that ends rationing based on what kind of insurance you have and how much money is in your […]

04/09/2020
Action Needed: Contact your Members of Congress (House and Senate) and urge them to support Speaker Pelosi and Democratic Leader Schumer in putting SNAP among the priority programs for any COVID-19 package.

If your Member of Congress signed the House letter, thank them and urge them to continue to speak out on the need to include SNAP priorities in any COVID-19 legislative packages.
For House Members who did not sign the letter, and for all Senators, urge them to support SNAP in any future COVID-19 relief packages. Any COVID-19 economic recovery package must build on SNAP’s economic stimulus effects by
1. boosting SNAP maximum benefits by 15 percent;

2. increasing the minimum SNAP benefit from $16 to $30; and

3. suspending all SNAP administrative rules that would terminate or weaken benefits.

These temporary provisions must continue until the economy improves.

Need help finding your Members of Congress? Use this tool, which provides the phone numbers and social media accounts for Senators and Representatives by state and zip code.

Check out FRAC’s COVID-19 Updates page COVID-19 Updates page, which provides up-to-date information on legislation, bill summaries, policies, and other important new

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04/02/2020
With funding from the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York, Physicians for a National Health Program NY Metro Chapter (PNHP) is organizing Healthcare Storytelling Leadership Trainings. Given the current public health crisis, upcoming trainings will be conducted online. The objectives for these trainings are to recruit participants who have experienced financial and structural barriers to accessing healthcare and to offer training on story-based advocacy skills in order to develop new advocates and leaders in the movement for universal healthcare. The training lasts 2 hours and is conducted virtually using Zoom conference. The goal is to recruit 6-12 participants per training. Participants will receive $20.

PNHP and the Campaign for NY Health seek partners in Central and Western New York to help recruit participants for this training opportunity. Feedback on the curriculum is welcome, but not required, in order to integrate the partner organization’s priority resources and programming.

Would your organization be interested in partnering on a virtual training?

Would your organization be able to help spread the word to your network about upcoming training opportunities?

Would you be able to recommend potential partners in the following counties: Niagara, Genesee, Wyoming, Chautauqua, Cattaragus, Orleans, Cortland, Madison, Cayuga, Herkimer?

For more information, contact Ursula Rozum ursula@pnhpnymetro.org (315) 414-7720 / YuLing

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04/02/2020
SNAP ABAWD Rule Blocked

A federal judge issued an injunction on March 13, blocking the Trump administration from implementing a rule change that would force nearly 700,000 Americans off of SNAP. The rule change was set to take effect April 1. FRAC’s Ellen Vollinger, told the Associated Press that FRAC opposes harmful changes to SNAP at any time. But the idea of pressuring low-income workers to keep their hours up is particularly dangerous right now, she said. “You don’t want to have workers going out when they’re sick and trying to document the right number of hours just to keep their benefits,” she said.

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04/22/2020
Hungry People Can’t Wait. Boost to SNAP Urgently Needed

In this National Public Radio piece, advocates say
they are pushing for more assistance for low-income people in future federal stimulus bills. “We know that policymakers have had a lot on their hands, but so do hungry people,” said Ellen Vollinger of FRAC. “So hopefully for all of the people out there, those who need more help purchasing food and those who want to see the economy bolstered, that action will come.” FRAC urges lawmakers to include a 15 percent boost to the SNAP maximum benefit, an increase in the minimum monthly SNAP benefit to $30, and a suspension of rules that would exclude hungry people from food assistance in the next stimulus package. Such boosts and new investments are critical to ensuring the well-being of vulnerable people and the economy.

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